Justine Henin-Hardenne survived a three-hour dogfight with Italian Francesca Schiavone to win the Sydney International tennis tournament on Friday.
The Belgian eighth seed fought back from dropping the opening set to win a titanic battle 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, her second Sydney title, in a see-sawing struggle.
Seventh seed Schiavone — bidding to become first Italian to win one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world, dating back to 1885 — served for the match at 5-3 in the third set, but a combination of errors enabled Henin-Hardenne to break back.
She broke Schiavone’s next service to lead 6-5 and just as she was attempting to serve out for the championship, rain began to fall, forcing the players from the court.
The players resumed after a 20-minute delay and Henin-Hardenne clinched the title on her second match-point with a forehand winner.
Henin-Hardenne, one of the favourites to win next week’s Australian Open, won the Sydney title in 2004 after losing the year before in the semifinals to compatriot Kim Clijsters.
It was Henin-Hardenne’s 24th career WTA title, including four grand slams and an Olympic gold medal in Athens. It was her 35th Tour final.
Schiavone was bidding for her first title in her sixth WTA final, but again came up short.
She broke Henin-Hardenne’s service in the sixth game of the opening set when the Belgian double-faulted on break point.
The Italian, who was two points away from the opening set, was broken when serving for the set at 5-4 when she over-hit a forehand.
But Schiavone hit back to claim the set when Henin-Hardenne mis-hit a backhand on break point in the next game.
Schiavone worked her way to 4-1 in the second set, getting a third service break when Henin-Hardenne netted a forehand.
But the Italian tightened up serving in the seventh game and fell behind three break points before the Belgian jumped on to a forehand winner for the break back and trail 4-3.
Schiavone had a smash lined up on break point but over-hit it, losing the opportunity as Henin-Hardenne rallied to hold serve at level at 4-4.
The Italian had two break points on her next serve, but forehand errors cost Henin-Hardenne her chance to trail 5-4.
But the world number eight broke Schiavone in the 11th game and crunched a forehand winner on her third set point in the next game to level the final.
Schiavone broke early in the deciding set, but Henin-Hardenne broke back and in a topsy-turvy battle, Schiavone broke in the eighth game on a Henin-Hardenne double-fault.
The Italian served for the match at 5-3, but was again broken and Henin-Hardenne levelled at 5-5.
Again Schiavone was broken, with the Belgian powering a forehand return winner, but as she was serving for the match for the first time it began to rain.
Henin-Hardenne refocused after the rain break to serve out for the title. — Sapa-AFP